Day 52 - Albanians love US(A) - Lehzë, Albania to Tiranë, Albania
August 7, 2026 - biked 73 km (45 mi) - biked 1866 km (1159 mi) total
Albanians love us! All the kids run in the street and yell, “Hello, hello, where are you from?” The old men ask us too. They say, “You are American? You are welcome here in my country. Welcome.” At least in the small villages we bike through.
Mostly old men riding mopeds honk a friendly toot and some cars too. In all other countries this trip, we were largely ignored as cyclists but here MOST people wave or give us positive little honks.
Albanian love started in 1919 with Woodrow Wilson protected Albania from Italy, Greece and Serbia from it carving up after the Ottoman Empire fell.
In recent times, I hope a few very wealthy Americans don’t taint the people’s love as they protest against Rama, their current prime minister.
For now, it doesn’t seem like it does.
In other news, sigh, David got his 5th flat on the trip. The Ghost of Spain continues to haunt us as this flat was a thorn finally working its way through after a few weeks.
Sarah still holds a perfect record of zero flats on all of her tours.
Ready to leave our campsite surrounded by chickens, roosters, sheep and cats.
Can’t drink the water in most of Albania, so we buy jugs when we can.
Stuck in Albanian car traffic with no space to pass on the right.
Ducks!
Really bad road on a bridge next to train tracks. Even the cars drove slow.
Right before the fastest car in all of Europe almost clipped us.
Went through the car wash…literally! A kid washing cars at an auto car wash flagged David down and offered a hose and drinks. We took him up on the hose for temporary free AC.
Milky river. Eww.
Peeing or stretching sore calves from our hike?
Burning trash produces the most awful smell, but at least it gets rid of some of the trash??
Our bodies are still so incredibly sore from our hike.
More car traffic we are stuck behind.
Flat number 5, people!
Found another hole most likely from an embedded thorn from the dirt roads in Spain.
All set once again! He’s getting faster at fixing these flats.
For when you visit Albania or want to see Ye you can fly into the Mother Tereza airport —Tirana International Airport “Nënë Tereza”
Still provide my own shade.
Tunnel short cut!
Children school similar exterior to the airport.
Pedestrian bridge possibly financed by Hillary Clinton.
More trash in rivers. It’s hard to look at. There is a whole rug soaked.
But we love these bike lanes!
A mosaic from Hoxha’s time just recently restored to remove communist symbols.
Shanderbeg square where the current Albanian protests start.
Bike lanes, but cars still manage to use it too.
More evidence.
Made it to our dirty hostel!
The coffee room!
Roof top patio literally right outside our bathroom window.
Sunset from the hostel rooftop.
Feeling good after a local beer.